WHAT ARE DROP-BAR MOUNTAIN BIKES? ...AND WHY?

There is something about a drop-bar conversion that makes your eyes almost pop out with excitement.

Just look at this:




Like the mullet craze of the 80s, these bikes are part sleek and classy road-bike-business machine and part rough-and-tough, edgy and ready-to-party mountain machine.

On the MTBR forums, a post called "Bored? Post your drop-bar 29er" garnered over 300 posts! On BikeForums, nearly 4,000 posts have registered on the vintage mtb drop-bar conversion thread and it has been viewed more than HALF A MILLION TIMES since it was started in June 2012!

SO WHAT IS THIS DROP-BAR CRAZE ALL ABOUT?

As with past crazes a la Parachute pants, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Pogs and Tickle-Me Elmo, the world may never really know. These obsessions emerge like a Phoenix and then burn out almost without rhyme or reason, but the drop-bar conversion, as thrilling as it is to so many, may seem to be a little bit of a contradiction at first: Why take a MTB and make it...not quite a MTB anymore, yet not anything else really either...

Decades, nay, perhaps centuries, of trial and error have helped the velocipede to evolve into its more highly evolved counterparts: The road bike, the DH MTB, the XC MTB, the cyclocross bike, the city bike and even the newly emerging "gravel" bike are all dialed in to do a specific job--and to do it well. So, taking any one of those bikes, tearing stuff off and replacing it with very different "stuff" means the bike has been de-purposed in a way. So why do people like it? For the challenge of making it work? To have a more unique bike? To save money? Let's flush out the reason:

HOW DOES A DROP-BAR CHANGE THE BIKE?

First, putting a drop-bar on a mountain bike means more hand positions which translates into more comfort on long rides. Additionally, at least some (if not most) of the hand positions a drop-bar allow you to be more aerodynamic. 

Down in the drops you can duck down out of the wind--very useful on a road bike where speeds often exceed 20 mph (at least for some people). But aerodynamics do not matter as much on uphill mountain climbs at lower speeds. In fact, even in downhill mountain biking, gravity usually provides enough speed without having to worry too much about aerodynamic position. Not to mention, leaning over the front wheel ducked down is not the best position to be in while screaming down the side of a mountain! (Unless you love flying over the bar at 40 mph).

Additionally, for serious mountain riding, having a wide grip means more balance--something not provided on a 40 cm drop-bar...

So if "drop-bar mountain bike" is such a contradiction in terms, why the obsession? 

There are several reasons why people want to make the switch--and not all are good ones:

1. Adding more hand positions to a veteran trusted commuter bike to increase the comfort or ability to duck out of the wind on really gusty days.
2. Making your bike look more unique--more one-of-a-kind.
3. To (try to) turn a mountain bike or hybrid into a "road" bike "on the cheap" (haha! More on this later)
4. To (try to) turn a mountain bike or hybrid into a "cyclocross" bike "on the cheap"
5. To (try to) make a kind of do-it-all machine that no other bike on the market really satisfies

To get some good answers we will tear these five reasons apart one-by-one. But first, some basics about making the switch that come into play for most of these. FIRST AND FOREMOST, the switch to drop-bars is usually not very parsimonious because doing it "right" involves changing more than just the bar... 

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN DOING A DROP-BAR CONVERSION?

Drop-bar conversions usually require a change of shifters because most drop-bars have a 23.8 mm diameter instead of the 22.2 mm grip area found on most MTB bars. This means that MTB shifters won't fit without some modification (making and attaching new clamps or reaming out your 22.2 mm clamps).

Additionally, the conversion usually requires new brake levers for the same reason--the larger diameter of the grip area on the road bar. But it gets even muckier...If you buy road brake levers to go with the 23.8 mm bar, they are probably not strong enough levers for your v-brakes, because v-brakes use a "linear pull" system and most (not all) road levers don't. However, road brakes are compatible with cantilever brakes--like these:

  

So if you already have them or are putting them on anyway (maybe as part of a "cyclocross" conversion) then you will be fine with normal road levers. Road levers also work with certain "short-pull" v-brakes, but their compatibility is hit or miss, so you have to be sure they state that they are compatible.

The other option is to buy linear pull road levers, like Tektro RL520s :

These work with linear pull brakes--like most v-brakes:

 

Some have had success coming across a 22.2 mm drop-bar. This is a cheaper solution because you only have to buy the bar and some bar tape.

The issue here is that you may be negating many of the reasons why you are switching to drops because you will be unable to shift or brake in the drop position. So if your reason for switching to drop-bars involves ever going on group rides, you may stand out like a sore thumb in a pace line as everyone else is holding a nice aero position in the drops even while feathering the brakes and shifting to keep a nice steady cadence while you are bobbing up and down like the a goose with a broken wing flapping bombastically around while all the others are in a nice streamlined V.

This solution means you can't ride on the hoods (because there are none) or in the drops if you have to brake or shift (likely events!). You can buy a linear pull road brake and do the conversion for just the cost of the 22.2 mm bar, bar tape and the linear pull road brakes (about $60), but you have to make sure the brake levers will tighten down properly on the 22.2 mm bar (as most manufactures expect that you will be using them on a 23.8 mm "standard" road bar diameter. 

 I have seen this as an alternative:

This is said to work passably, and allows you to brake from the drops, but riding on the "hoods" of MTB levers can't be very comfortable (or safe? They are not made for it...)over long distances. This shows the creativity involved in many drop-bar conversions though! I have to respect it. 

You will notice that the picture above shows one other pretty cheap option for a drop-bar conversion: Drop-bar ends, like these made by Origin 8:

So, you just attach these to the ends of your mountain bars, and you are ready to go...sort of. You still have the issue of not being able to brake or shift from the drops unless you add new levers and shifters. 

IN SHORT: Drop-bar conversions, done properly, are not cheap and are not simple. Later, we will discuss all of the options and the cost of each option. But for now, let's look at the reasons people go to drop-bars to see if it's really worth it.

REASONS -- GOOD AND BAD -- FOR CONVERTING TO DROP-BARS 

#1: MORE HAND POSITIONS:

Adding more hand positions is not such a bad thing--especially if you are having numbness, discomfort etc. with your current setup. However, not all setups will work with all kinds of riding. Some people have used drops for even certain types of mountain riding and claim that it works well, but I didn't see anyone at the last Red Bull Rampage with 40 cm ergo drops! Just sayin'...

So even though drops aren't the idea extreme downhill setup they do the job just fine on most commuter or touring setups. BUT IF ALL YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS A FEW MORE HAND POSITIONS, DROP-BARS ARE PROBABLY NOT THE BEST ANSWER.

This is because there are other options that are much cheaper: Bar ends or trekking bars are both good options that give you multiple hand positions without you having to also switch out the brakes (or brake levers) and shifters and involve little more than just buying the new bar and moving the old components (levers and shifters) over or moving the components in a little and fitting the bar ends on.

#2: Making a more unique "ride"

If you want to do a drop-bar conversion just to join in this nascent craze, then have at it! There is something just stunning about a full mountain machine with sleek, aerodynamic controls. It is sort of like a Mustang with off-road mud tires! 

So if this is your reason, have at it! It still won't be cheap to do it the right way, but if you know what it will take to do the conversion and are fine with the cost and the processes of getting it set up, then who am I to restrain you? 

#3: Trying to turn a MTB into a road bike on the cheap

Not a good idea. Really. Not. A. Good. Idea. Why? Go to Craigslist right now or to a month's worth of April garage sales and see how many decent road bikes you can buy for under $200. Now take out a pen and paper and jot down the costs you will incur to do a drop-bar conversion that will still not really be a road bike (more on that in a second):

• New brake levers that can be used from the drops and to ride on the hoods: abt $25
• New shifters. Bar-ends: abt. $80. Friction: abt. $15
• OR "brifters" (brake/shifter combo): abt. $120 if you go cheap
• A drop-bar: $25 if you find a killer sale
• Bar tape: $10 if you go cheap
• New brakes if you switch to brifter and don't have cantis: abt. $50 if you go cheap
• Derailleurs if you switch to brifters and don't have compatible derailleurs: abt. $50 if you catch good deals
• Rigid fork: abt. $75

Depending on what you already have, you are probably looking at over $200 or more to do it right.

If you can stand really cheap friction shifters, and already have a fully rigid bike, you can come out of it for about $75. 

If you already have a rigid fork, you can buy drop-bar ends, thrown 'em on there and wrap 'em you can come out for around $40. 

But, neither of those last two options will get you anywhere near a road bike. We haven't even mentioned the fact that the gearing on your MTB may not cut it as a road bike. If you switch out the drive train, you are easily adding another $100-$200. Plus, the geometry is going to be off. Your MTB probably has a much wider wheel base, probably a longer chainstay and a more upright (less aerodynamic) position. 

So, if you have a rigid bike with cantis and really just want to try it out, is it going to hurt anything to throw drop-bars on, a friction shifter and some road brake levers? Not really. For about $75 you can give it a go. But if you don't like it, you are set back $75 you could have put toward that CL bike for $175.

Don't misunderstand though, the fact that drop-bars won't make your MTB into a road bike doesn't mean that it won't make it more like a road bike. Adding slick tires and drop-bars, especially if they have a set up that allows you to shift and brake from the drops, will make your MTB a lot better fit in certain situations--like big group rides especially ones with well organized riding styles (like pace-lines). Although better doesn't necessarily even mean "good" or "good enough"...just better than it would have been if you take your 2002 full suspension MTB with knobby tires on a group ride. 

#4: Trying to turn a MTB into a cyclocross bike on the cheap

This goes down pretty much like #3, only worse. To have a decent CX bike, you really should have the right setup or you will PAY. Your 30 lb fully rigid steel MTB seems like a good candidate: It came with cantis, has plenty of mud clearance, and a more upright position. But you are going to need the right tires (prob. $50-$150 for a pair) and the right shifters and brakes (friction shifters probably won't cut it--at least not for optimum performance). Again, you probably have less desirable gearing (most CX bikes have a 48 or 50 big ring up front compared to the MTB's usual 42), geometry and the weight matters more in CX than any other disciplines (because you have to jump off and heft it over obstacles repeatedly). 

The one thing going for the MTB-to-Cyclocross conversion is that cyclocross bikes are NOT cheap. Even if you drop $200-$300 getting your bike set up, you will still come out ahead of anything you would even find on Craigslist or the World-Wide-Online-Garage-Sale, where you can easily drop $400-$500 even on a very cheap, used 'cross bike (that may need some work). Often, a $400 used cyclocross bike doesn't even include wheels. So, if you really want to try out cyclocross, a converted MTB might be your only choice if you don't have half-a-grand to burn. 

Then again, a lot of local CX races will let you use your MTB if you are new and just wanting to try it out. That would be the cheapest option by far--especially given the fact that the $200-$300 dollars you invest trying to switch over the MTB may or may not really have the cyclocross feel due to the different geometry and often TERRIBLE heft weight. 

#5: A new kind of machine

Throughout the 1990s, I wanted to try out road cycling, but didn't want to give up my ability to go have fun in the mountains, and I could only afford one bike (in terms of $$ and space). But, throughout the 1990s, more and more specialized bikes started to emerge. "Hybrid" bikes were promising in name but disappointing in practice, as they were (and are) basically road bikes with wider tires and slacker geometry. So, it left me almost giddy to see the emergence of dual sport bikes--bikes that can go off road a little bit, but are not a disaster on rides over 7 miles long on the road. 

Now, there seem to be bikes for almost everything--ALMOST everything. Creeping up is this notion that the sleek, lightweight road bike, with it's varied hand positions for comfort and varying levels of aerodynamic positioning can be a force in more and more terrains. 

Martyn Ashton and others piqued our wildest imaginations as they took to all sorts of terrains on road bikes in the Road Bike Party series of videos, making us wonder if the road bike has been too confined to neat and tidy spaces.

Road bike in mountains

Perhaps technology has advanced to the point that the speed, aerodynamics and light weight of the road bike can be leveraged in more extreme conditions. 

But there are still disadvantages. Most of us are not Martyn Ashton, and even for him, taking a road bike into these conditions proved a rather dangerous endeavor, ultimately resulting in his hospitalization. Of course, he was endeavoring rather skilled stunts that may have had adverse consequences on any bike. But the point remains: We are excited about what a road bike could do if it had a little more clearance, a little bit wider tires, and little bit slacker geometry. 

The cyclocross bike seems to fit the bill at first, but many people want something a little more than that. Sort of the love child of a dual-sport bike and a cyclocross bike. A bike that could take 50 mm tires, be made of beautiful road-buzz-absorbing bomb proof steel, and yet allow us to tuck into a deep aero position and blast away at 25 mph with confidence, even if a large stick or field of gravel unexpectedly unfold before us. Something that is fast, but not so tight that the front tire grazes the toe of your shoe if you turn too sharply. Truly, something that is part cyclocross, part dual-sport bike. 

Today, there is almost a continuum of bikes: Road, hybrid/city/urban, cyclocross, dual-sport, cross country, DH/FR...Perhaps there is one more major type of bike that the cycling public longs for--right in between cyclocross and dual-sport--the drop-bar mountain bike. A bike that can almost do it all, at least sort of do it all...

It seems that bike manufacturers are beginning to answer the call with what is being called "gravel bikes". Bikes that can bomb down fire-roads with road bike speed and grace but are not as "fragile" or sensitive as road bikes. Bikes that have nice varied hand-position options but also have a little space to sit up, widen your grip when things get a little rocky ***hehe***. Nice wide tires let you hit some serious bumps--afterall, 40-50 mm tires, when properly inflated take take care of a lot of shock absorption. Even those wimpy shocks on city bikes are mostly for the rider's psychological benefit (or because they don't know how to properly inflate tires...). Tires that run smooth and fast down the center, but have increasing grip as you move out to the sides--just in case you sink into some precarious situations. Grip if the tire starts to slip out, smooth if it doesn't.

It is said that Diamondback's Haanjo Comp is just such a bike, and reviews seem to attest to that. The bike that is comfortable almost everywhere:

So maybe, this is the best reason of all to drop your MTB. At $1400 MSRP for the Haanjo Comp (and few other "gravel bike" options) the drop-bar is filling a niche--the affordable "gravel bike". And early 1990s steel MTB bikes seem to be prime victims--fully rigid, tough and durable road absorbing chromoly steel, plenty of tire clearance. Put 40-50 mm semi-slick tires on, a little bit wider drop-bar with linear pull road lever, and bar end shifters, and you have a machine that can almost do it all! Deflate the tires a little and your ride is comfortable sucking up bumps and jolts on cross country mountain rides, inflate the tires a little more and you are zipping down gravel roads--upright when you need more stability and in the drops when you want to really tuck in and get up some speed!

TOTAL COST: probably abt. $170 to do it "right", depending on what is already on the sidelines waiting to be used in the spare parts bin. 

HOW TO SET UP A DROP-BAR CONVERSION: OPTIONS

Option 1: The Poor Man's Drop-bar--TOTAL COST, abt. $25

Buy a pair of Origin 8 drop-bar ends (abt. $25) and roll with your old shifters and brakes. 

ADVANTAGES: Cheap and easy to do

DISADVANTAGES: Can't shift or brake in the drops, no hoods to ride on, wide "stance" in the drops

Option 2: The Poor Man 2--TOTAL COST, abt. $25

Find a 22.2 mm diameter bar that has a compatible clamp diameter to your stem. Put on the old brake levers and shifters.

ADVANTAGES: Cheap

DISADVANTAGES: Can't shift or brake in the drops, no hoods to ride on

Option 3: Bar Ends--TOTAL COST, abt. $130-$225 

Buy a nice standard road bar with 23.8 mm diameter, road levers (compatible with your brakes), and bar end shifters. 

ADVANTAGES: Works like a drop-bar setup "should"-can shift and brake in drops

DISADVANTAGES: Some prefer "brifters"--integrated brake/shifter levers

Option 4: Brifters--TOTAL COST, abt. $170-$375

Buy a nice standard road bar with 23.8 mm diameter and brifters. If your derailleurs aren't compatible, you will have to invest in those too.

ADVANTAGES: Works like a drop-bar setup "should"-can shift and brake in drops

DISADVANTAGES: Costs more than other options

Add tires to any option to make the bike more suited to your typical riding conditions --COST, abt. $25-$150

Nashbar, JensenUsa, BikeTiresDirect, ChainReactionCycles, and BikeWagon, and RandomBikeParts have some pretty good deals on all of the stuff you will need if you shop around and exercise a little patience!

SUMMARY:

*If you are just looking to add more hand positions to your bike, trekking bars or bar ends may be a quicker, cheaper and easier alternative to get you some additional hand positions, some of which are more aerodynamic.

*If you want to make your bike more unique by adding drop bars, it is an exciting trend that you can take part in. Just make sure you know the financial costs as well as what will be involved in changing the parts over--it is not just as easy as putting the drop bar on in place of the flat bar due to incompatibilities in brake levers and shifters from one bar to the next. 

*If you want to turn your MTB into a road bike--look elsewhere. You can make your MTB more like a road bike by putting drop bars and slicker tires, but you won't be able to change the more slack geometry or increased weight very easily! Adding drop-bars, especially when the setup allows you to shift and brake in the drops, will be more conducive to group rides compared to your old mountain bike. 

*Turning your MTB into a cyclocross bike won't work either. Your MTB will never be a cyclocross bike. However, if you don't have $400 or $500 just for a used or very low-end CX bike, it may be your only option. It is still going to probably set you back $200 even if you don't update your gearing to something that is more 'cross friendly. Check out your local races first as well--a lot of local races allow you to use your MTB the way it is if you want to try it out first to decide if it is even something you will do again. If you are going to do a UCI sponsored race, you better read all of their rules anyway, because even 42 cm drop bars are technically not allowed! (Have to be less than 40). 

*A new kind of bike. If you want a mountain bike that has lots of options--fast on the road, stable in gravel or some light cross country riding, can go on groups rides and can run in pace-lines while shifting and braking from the drops--the drop-bar MTB might be for you! 

Sure, it might be the bike that does almost everything OK, but nothing really well, but what could be more exciting than that? Taking a group ride in the morning on nice paved roads and keeping up, even if it is with a little more work, doing a cyclocross race at noon and getting a respectable time, and then going and blasting down a nice cross country trail in the evening just for fun--ALL ON THE SAME BIKE!

If the bike you want needs to be able to do everything confidently (even if not perfectly), and you don't have $1400 for a "gravel bike", you may be able to satisfy your do-it-all bike lust with a drop-bar MTB conversion. 

Favorite candidates are vintage, fully rigid steel MTBs (though you can "drop" any kind of MTB you want). They have stood the test of time, and have long been favorite commuter bikes. Now, they have another option--with the right tires, a drop-bar and some nice brake levers and shifters, your old MTB can do some serious gravel riding, and even hold its own pretty well on group road rides, cyclocross and even some light XC riding. 

Now if you will excuse me, I think I will go finish my own drop-bar conversion...

VELOZOUT!